Picture frame containing bed light and indirect light units



Nov. 14, 11950 G. THURSTON PICTURE FRAME CONTAINING BED LIGHT AND INDIRECT LIGHT UNITS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1.

Filed Jan. 2, 1948 INVENTOR. Germ/id fhunsi'on SMQ W ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 114, 1950 e. THURSTON 2,529,713

PICTURE FRAME CONTAINING BED LIGHT AND INDIRECT LIGHT UNITS Filed Jan. 2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 43

042W WWW a ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 14, 1950 PICTURE, FRAME CONTAINING BED LIGHT AND INDIRECT LIGHT UNITS Gerald Thurston, New York, N. Y., assignor to Lightolier Company, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York Application January 2, 1348, Serial No. 67

6 Claims.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide an ornamental, highly decorative portable lamp that may serve either as a directional bed light or as an indirect room light or both, that is neat and compact and relatively simple and inexpensive to construct, all in a single unitary construction suitable for hanging in the manner of a simple picture frame.

Another object is to provide in one unit an ornamental picture and a useful multi-purpose lamp, thereby conserving space and effecting considerable economy as compared to the combined cost of a picture and portable lamp as separate articles.

According to the invention these objects are accomplished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the lamp with parts broken away,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on a larger scale with parts broken away, taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view on a larger scale with parts broken away, taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

I Fig. 4 is'a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of the lamp,

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the lamp with parts broken away,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the rear of the lamp, and

Fig. '7 is a wiring diagram of the lamp.

Referring now to the drawings, the lamp comprises a substantially rectangular, sectional frame ll, preferably of metal, having identical top and bottom sections or moldings l2 and I 3, respectively, and two identical side sections or moldings l4 and I5.

Each of the moldings preferably has a concave outer face It and mitered ends H, the latter being joined together as by welding or soldering to assemble the frame H. The edges of the moldings on the inner periphery l8 of the frame are bent rearwardly to form a ridge [9 and the edges of the moldings at the outer periphery 2! are flattened as at 22 to form the rim 23 of the frame, moldings l2 and I3 having a rearwardly bent portion 24 at right angles to rim 23.

Each of the side moldings l4 and I5 has a rearwardly extending portion at right angles to rim 23 which form the rectangular side Wal g5 and 23, respectively, the latter each having an associated flange 2? integral therewith and at right angles thereto along the rear edge 28 thereof, on which flange the back plate 29' is mounted by screws 3|.

Affixed, preferably by welding, to the inner face of each of the side walls 25 and 26 near the top thereof and near the bottom thereof, respectively, are bracklets 32 and 33, each having a support arm 34 extending laterally inward from said side walls 25 and 26. The support arms 34 of brackets 32 are transversely aligned as are the support arms as of brackets 33 and each carries an electric socket 35 thereon secured thereto by bolts 36, the sockets on brackets 32 being secured to the upper'faces of said support arms and the sockets on brackets 33 being secured to the lower faces of said support arms.

Affixed to the frame at the top and at the bot tom thereof are reflectors 3'! and, respectively, preferably of metal, extending transversely across the'frame from side wall 25'to side wall 26 and having a concave face forming a trough 33. Each reflector-3'! and 38- is positioned between the side walls 25'and 26 and against flanges 2?, with the concave face of reflector 31 facing upwardly and the concave face of reflector 38 facing downwardly. The convexity of reflector 31 is substantially on a circular arc, whereas the convexity of reflector 3B is substantially on an elliptical arc for the reason hereinafter set forth. The bottom reflector 38 has an enameled finish to present a highly effective reflecting surface and the top reflector 31 has a dull finish to cast a diffuse light.

In order securely to hold the reflectors 31 and 38 in position on the frame, the front edges 4| thereof are seated behind the bent portion 24 of the moldings l2 and I3, respectively, and the rear of each of the reflectors at each corner 42 thereof is afiixed to the adjacent flange 2! by screws 43.

The reflectors at each end thereof have a substantially rectangular notch 44 therein which provides access to the sockets 35 when the reflectors are aflixed to the frame, thereby enabling the contacts at the end of tubular lamp bulbs 45 and 45 which may be lumaline, fluorescent or the like, to be plugged in the sockets 35 on the transversely aligned brackets 32 and 33, respectively, so that the body of the bulbs 45 and 46 lies in the troughs 39 of reflectors 31 and 38, respectively.

A glass plate 52 is held in place by suitable means and exposed to the light from the illuminated'bulb so that the rays from one or both of the bulbs shine through the edges of the glass plate. In a preferred embodiment of the glass plate support herein shown, the bottom of the troughs 39 of each of the reflectors 31 and 38 has a plurality of longitudinal slots 47 therein formed by bending inwardly a portion of the reflector, the inwardly bent portion forming guide lips 48, and a short inturned tang or stop 49 near each end of the reflector transversely thereacross and in line with slots 41.

The transparent plate 52, which though preferably of glass may be of lucite or other plastic, is positioned against ridge l9 at the inner periphery l8 of the frame. The bottom edge of plate 52 is seated on the convex back of reflector 38 over the longitudinal slots 4! therein and is properly positioned thereon by means of guide lips 48 and tangs 49, the latter straddling the bottom corners of the plate 52 and the guide lips 48 overlapping the rear face of the plate adjacent the bottom edge 5| thereof. The upper edge 54 of plate 52 is likewise retained in place beneath slots 4'! in reflector 31 by guide lips 48 and tangs 49 thereof.

Thus transparent plate 52 is retained between ridge l9 and guide lips 48 and prevented from transverse displacement by tangs 49 and is centered in the sight defined by the inner periphery l8 of the frame.

The rear face of the transparent plate has a decorative motif thereon which in the embodiment herein is formed by sand blasting, etching or otherwise scooping out a portion of the plate in any desired design, and coloring such portions as well as the rest of the plate. In order to give an illusion of depth to the design, the scooped out portions forming the latter are preferably of varied depth, so that when the plate 52 is illuminated in the manner hereinafter set forth, the ornamental motif therein will give a three dimensional effect.

Back plate 29 which is affixed to flanges 21, has a pair of angle irons 51 aflixed thereto on the inner face thereof near each of the side edge respectively, of the back plate and paral lel ther to. The corners of the laterally extending portion 59 of the angle irons are bent inwardlv at ri ht angles to s id ort on 59 to form a ledge 6!. Thus with the back plate 29 secured to flange 21, the ledges 6| will press against the back of the glass plate to hold the latter against ridge IS, the edges 62 of the pair of angle irons extending above ledge 6|, straddling the side edges 63 of the glass plate to provide an additional safe uard against transverse movement of the latter. An angle iron 29 is also provided, affixed to the inner face of the back plate and extending transversely thereacross to stiffen the latter.

In order to use the device, it is mounted on a wall, preferably over a bed, by means of a cord, wire, screws or conventional picture hooks afflxed to slots 64 in flange 21, in the manner of a conventional picture frame.

By means of a conventional three-way switch 65 connected to bulbs 45 and 46, as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 7, the lamps may both be turned off, or either or both lighted at one time.

When bulb 45 at the top of the frame is illuminated, the reflector 31 will direct the light toward the ceiling, thereby lighting the room. As the reflectors arc' is substantially circular the intensity of the reflected light from the dull finish reflector 31 will be substantially constant:

in all directions which is desirable in order that the indirect light be soft and non-glaring.

The sockets 35 and lamp 46 at the bottom of the frame are so positioned therein that the filament of the lamp lying in the trough of the lower reflector 38 will be at one of the foci of the ellipse of which the reflector 38 forms a portion of the periphery thereof.

Thus with the frame suspended over a bed at the conventional height, the light will be re flected downward and forward toward the other foci of the ellipse at approximately the level of a book or paper held by a person sitting up in bed. Consequently even with a relatively small bulb, suflicient light will be cast for proper illumination of the reading matter and this light will be so directive that the occupant of a second bed in the room will not be disturbed.

When either or both bulbs 45 and 46 are illuminated, in addition to the lamp serving either as an indirect source of light to illuminate the room or as a reading light or both, as the light from the lamp bulbs 45 and 46 passes through the slots 4? in reflectors 3! and 38 and into the edges of the transparent plate 52, it is conducted through the plate and when intercepted by the scooped out or etched portions of the latter will be reflected and dispersed, causing such portions to glow more brightly than the surrounding areas thereof, thereby giving a three dimensional effect to the colored plate and adding to the decorativeness of the lamp.

Even when the bulbs 45 and 46 are not illuminated, the colored plate 52 is of pleasing appearance and any suitable design and coloring may be selected therefor to conform to the styling of the room in which it is used.

Thus the invention affords in one unit the combination of a highly ornamental picture and useful multi-purpose lighting fixture, thereby conserving space and effecting considerable economy as compared to the combined cost of a picture and a portable lamp as separate articles.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An article of the character described comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a substantially concave trough shaped reflector mounted on said frame at the bottom thereof and transversely thereacross with the trough facing downwardly, a substantially concave trough shaped reflector mounted on said frame at the top thereof and transversely thereacross with the trough facing upwardly, a transparent plate mounted on said frame between the convex faces of said reflectors and supported thereby, each of said reflectors having a longitudinal slot therein with the bottom and top edges of said transparent plate being longitudinally aligned with the slots in said reflectors at the bottom and top of the frame respectively and in juxtaposition thereto whereby when a lamp is associated with each of said reflectors the bottom reflector will cast a downwardly directed light and the top reflector will cast an upwardly directed light and the light from said lamps will pass through the associated top and bottom edges of said transparent plate to illuminate the latter.

2. An article of the character described comprising a substantially rectangular frame having an inturned portion along the top and bottom thereof, an inturned ridge at the inner periphery of said frame, side walls integral with said frame, a flange along the rear edge of each of said side walls and integral therewith, a pair of reflectors mounted on said frame transversely thereacross at the top and bottom thereof respectively between said flange and said adjacent inturned portion, a transparent plate mounted on said frame against said inturned ridge and positioned between said reflectors and supported thereby, each of said reflectors having a longitudinal slot therein with the bottom and top edges of said transparent plate being longitudinally aligned with the slots in said reflectors at the bottom and top of the frame respectively and in juxtaflector will cast a downwardly directed light and the top reflector will cast an upwardly direc'ted light and the light from said lamps will pass through the associated top and bottom edges of said transparent plate to illuminate the latter.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2, in which a back plate is affixed to said flange, said back plate having rigid therewith a plurality of ledges abutting against the rear of said transparent plate securely to retain the latter against said ridge.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the bottom reflector is elliptically curved and the top reflector is arcuately curved forming a segment of a circle and means are provided to support a lamp at one of the foci of the elliptically curved reflector and means are provided to support a lamp at the axis of the arcuately curved reflector whereby the reflected rays from the top reflector will be diffused and the reflected rays from the bottom reflector will be directional.

5. An article of the character described comprising a substantially rectangular frame, a substantially concave trough-shaped reflector mounted on said frame at the bottom thereof and transversely thereacross with the trough facing downwardly, a substantially concave trough-shaped reflector mounted on said frame at the top thereof and transversely thereacross with the trough facing upwardly, a transparent plate mounted on said frame between the convex faces of said reflector and supported thereby, each of said reflectors having a plurality of inwardly bent guide lips forming a plurality of longitudinal slots therein, the bottom and top edges of said transparent plate being longitudinally aligned with the slots in said reflectors at the bottom and top of the frame respectively and in juxtaposition thereto, said guide lips overlapping the rear face of said transparent plate adjacent the bottom and top edges thereof.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5, in which each of said reflectors has an inturned tang near each end thereof transversely thereacross and aligned with said longitudinal slots, said tangs on each of said reflectors straddling the associated corners of said transparent plate to prevent transverse movement of the latter.

GERALD THURSTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 947,127 Roberts -1 Jan. 18, 1910 1,440,096 Murray Dec. 26, 1922 1,707,965 Scantlebury Apr. 2, 1929 2,017,597 I-Iowenstine Oct. 15, 1935 2,297,851 Wyss Oct. 6, 1942 

